Cigarette and match dispenser



w. H. BANCK CIGARETTE AND MATCH DISPENSER Filed Dec. 8, 1941 qttomeg May9, 1944.

I m 7 Z Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2;348,442CIGARETTE AND MATCH DISPENSER "William H.1Ba'nck, Washington, D. 0.Application :December 8, 1941, Serial No. 422,155 1 Claim. (01. 312-180)My presentinvention relates to an improved cigarette and match dispenserwhich, while herein referred to, for'convenience of illustration anddescription, forthe purpose-of dispensing cigarettes and matches, isalso well-adapted for dispensing cigars and matches orfor dispensingotherslenderarticles that are required for joint use.

The present invention is a continuation irrpart of my co-pendingapplication Serial Number 339,- 787, matured into Patent No. 2265;336issued Dec. '9, 1941.

In carrying out my invention Iemploy a device of this character that isespecially designed for individual use by a smoker, and from which acigarette first may be readily extracted after which the required'matc'halso maybe extracted for lighting the previously extractedcigarette. A normally closed feed-hopper is employed'in which aplentiful supply of cigarettes may be preserved in proper condition, anda normally closed match-containeror drawer is also employed in which-asupply of'matches may also be safely stored, either in package form, orin loose bulk as desired. In'the physical embodiment of my invention Iprovide *a-olevice that is compactly arranged and simple inconstruction; which may be manufactured at comparatively low cost ofproduction; and which is simple and convenient in manipulation for theperformance of its functions.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts involving particularly a box having a front wall opening andhaving therein a 'slidecarrier'ad'apted to reciprocate through theopening. The carrier is provided with-a dispensing trough'in which acigarette is presented to the operator when the drawer or carrier iswithdrawn. A pivotally suspended inclined partition is'atta'ched withinthe box and forms a feed hopperabove the slide carrier. Means areprovided on'the' carrier and the partition whereby the cigaretteimmediately abovethe cigarette in the-carrier'trough is prevented fromdropping by gravity until the carrier is returned.

The invention further includes other features in combination that formthe unitary structure of the device and which'will hereinafter be morespecifically set forth. In the accompanying drawing 1 have illustratedonecomplete'exa'mple of the physical embodiment of my invention whereinthe parts are combined and arranged according to one mode-I have thusfardevise'd for the practical application (if "the "principles tr entpurposes and other my invention, but it will be understood that variousalterations andchanges are contemplated and may be made in theseexemplifying structures within the scope of the claim, without departingfrom the principles of my invention.

'In the drawing:

Figure l isa perspective view of the combined cigarette and matchdispenser involving my in vention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical view in section showing the matchdrawer and the cigarette carrier in closed position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the match drawer.

Figure 41s a perspective view of the cigarette dispenser or slidecarrier'and the trough.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pivotally suspended inclinedpartition that forms the movable bottom of the feed hopper, and co-actswith the slide carrier to control the feed of the cigarettes from thehopperto the trough of the carrier.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing the initial dispensingmovement of the cigarette carrier, with the feed-chute closed to preventfeeding movement of the cigarettes.

In carrying out my invention I preferably em ploy hardened plasticmaterial of suitable cornposition-in the'manufacture of parts and thebox or casing I is here shown as of rectangular shape, but it will beunderstood that the shape and size of the box or casing may be varied tosuit differsuitable material may be employed in the construction of theparts of the device.

The open top of the box is closed -by a slide lid 2, .having afiange 3which fits into a recess 4 in the front wall of the box. Inorder tofrictionall-y hold the slide lid inplace I preferably use oblique beads5 at the opposite sides of the lid which fit in complementary grooves 6in the opposite side walls of the .box. The use of these oblique slidebeads and groovesprovides a structure that holds the lid in place whenit is closed.

InFigure lit will .be seen that recesses-:1 are provided in the exteriorfaces of the box toifacilitate grasping the flange 3when opening or-closing the lid. These recesses 1 are also shown at the bottom of thebox and will be later described.

'In the top of the lid I providean ashtray 8 and at the four corners ofthe tray I provide cigarette holders 9, and in Figure-2 it will be seenthatza humidifier I0 is mounted in the bottom faceaof the tray. Thishumidifier maybe made of .moist blottingpaper or any other suitablematerial that is mounted in the under face of the sliding lid in orderthat the interior of the box may be maintained in a humid conditionconducive to the reservation of the cigarettes.

Between the front and rear walls of the box I provide an inclinedpartition I I which at its rear upper end is provided with trunnions l2by means of which the partition is suspended in recesses 13 in theopposite side walls of the box. These recesses l3 are located at thelower ends of vertical grooves M in the interior faces of thebox,

and by means of these grooves the partition may be slid down intoposition so that its front end declines toward and terminates a shortdistance from, the front wall of the box. 1 v 7 On top of the upper faceof this partition I provide a ledge M that extends the full'width of thepartition, and below the'lower edge of the partition I provide. a pairof spaced guide lugs l5 which together with the front wall of the boxform afeed-chute'as best seen in Figure 2. In Figure 2 it will be seenthat a column of cigarettes is nested in the chute and the cigarettesare free to slide through the chute. In order to feed a single cigarettefrom the dispensing device the lowermost cigarette is discharged, butthe second cigarette from the bottom is clampedagainst the front wall ofthe box to retain the cigarettes in the feed-hopper while one cigaretteis being dispensed.

For this purpose I provide a pair of cams l6 that project below thelower end of the partition and are located just behind the guide lugsl5.

For dispensing a single cigarette I provide a carrier which comprises anopen frame I! and a front trough N3, the latter extending transverselyof the carrier and located just behind a front plate IQ of the carrier.This carrier has guide edges that are adapted to slide in grooves 2! inthe side walls of the box and in Figure 1 it will be seen that the platel9 may be grasped at its ends by a thumb and finger for the purpose ofreciprocating this carrier. As seen in Figure 2 the trough l8'of thecarrier is located directly below and forms the bottom of, thefeed-chute from the hopper formed in the box above the partition H, andthe guide lugs l5 guide the lowermost cigarette into the trough.

As best seen in Figure 4 the carrier is provided with two parallel slidefaces 22 which at their forward ends terminate in cam faces 23 and thesecam faces 23 terminate in sockets 24. As seen in Figure 2 the lower endsof the cams l6 fit in these sockets when the carrier is in closedposition, and it will be apparent that when the carrier is moved todispensing position the coaction of the two cam-faces 23 with the twocams IE will result in swinging upwardly or tilting upwardly for aslight distance, the front free edge of the partition II, and the lowerfaces of the cams l6 ride overthe slide faces 22 of the carrier.

In addition to the cigarette dispensing device, I provide a matchdispensing device comprising a slide drawer 24' having guide beads 25which fit in complementary grooves 26 in the side walls of the box..

The front plate 21 of the match box fits into a recess or opening 28 atthe rear end of the box, and this match drawer is alined with thecarrier so that the two parts may be relatively reciprocated, one todispense matches, and the other to dispense cigarettes. The match drawerand the open" frame 11 of the cigarette carrier are loosely coupledtogether by means of a cross bar 29 at the rear of the match box andwhich projects upwardly into the open frame.

With the lid 2 removed, the hopper is filled with cigarettes C, and bygravity feed the cigarettes roll down the inclined bottom of the hopper,the lowermost one taking the position in the trough l8 as in Figure 2,with a short column standing vertically above the cigarette in thetrough. The cigarette shown in the trough in Figure 2, of course, is theone to be dispensed and this action i accomplished by grasping the endsof the front plate l9 and pulling or sliding the carrier to the right inFigures 1 and 2. The initial motion of this dispensing movement causes23 with the result that the partition ll forming thebottom of the feedhopper is swung on its trunnions l2 in the recesses l3 and the guidelugs I5 at the free lower end of the partition are pressed against thebottom cigarette remaining in the feed chute, as indicated in the detailFigure 6. In this manner the feed of cigarettes is cut off at the bottomof the chute and the feed remains cut off as long as the cams iii areheld elevated out of their sockets 24. As the carrier is pulled out ofthe box-front the cams I6 are supported by and ride along on top of thesurfaces 22 of the carrier. When the carrier has been withdrawnsufiiciently to permit the thumb and finger to grasp the ends of thedispensed cigarette, the latter is removed from the trough l8 and thecarrier is pushed back into the box, its movement being guided by thelateral edges 20 of the hollow frame sliding in the grooves 2| in theinterior opposite faces of the box. As indicated in Figure 2 the outwardmovement of the carrier is limited by contact'of the cross bar ll of thecarrier with the abutment 29 on the back wall of the matchdrawer 24'. Asthe carrier with its empty trough is pushed back into the box the camsl6 ride on the faces or surfaces 22, then down over the cam faces 23,and finally the cams drop by gravity into the sockets 24, and thus asthe partition H swings on its trunnions l2 the guide lugs l5 that havebeen pressing on the bottom cigarette of the chute are withdrawntherefrom and this cigarette is permitted to fall into the trough Ill.The remaining cigarettes in the hopper gradually move toward the chuteand a supply of cigarettes is thus maintained in the feed chute in thepositions indicated in Figure 2. The swinging or tilting [movement ofthe partition II due to the co-action of the cams l6 and the cam faces23, although comparatively slight, is sufficient to agitate the bulk ofcigarettes in the hopper and the ledge I4 assists in this agitation, sothat an ample supply of cigarettes is maintained in the column in thefeed chute, and jamming of the cigarettes is prevented.

After a cigarette has been dispensed the carrier may be either pushedback, as described, or it maybe pulled back into the box by the act ofwithdrawing the match drawer 24 from the rear endof the :box ;.in thelatter action, the abutment 29 in contact with the rear cross bar I1pulls the carrier into the box while the drawer 24 is being pulled outof the opening 28 in the rear end of the box.

As indicated in Figure 1 the plate 21 of the match drawer may be graspedby a thumb and finger, and the match box may then be withdrawn .topermit access to the interior of the drawer. The match drawer is guidedby its beads or tongues 25 sliding in thegrooves 26 in the oppositewalls of the box, and its outward movement is limited by contact of theabutment 29 on its rear wall with the cross bar I! of the carrier.

Thus it will be seen that the carrier or ci arette dispenser and thematch drawer are loosely coupled together so that they may be relativelyreciprocated. Should the match drawer, through inadvertence be leftopen, the opening movement of the cigarette carrier will pull the drawerback into the box, and the same action will occur 7 in the event thecigarette trough is left open der to adapt the device for use withdifferent slender articles of this type, without departing from theprinciples of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

In a cigarette dispenser including a box having a front wall opening,the combination with a slide carrier reciprocable through said openingand having a dispensing trough, of a pivotally suspended inclinedpartition forming the bottom of an interior feed hopper above the slidecarrier,

said carrier having spaced longitudinally extending slide faces, a pairof sockets and cam faces below the plane of the slide faces, a pair ofspaced cams depending from the partition for co-action with said socketsand faces, a pair of spaced guide lugs also depending from the partitionand spaced from the front wall, and a ledge extending across the loweredge of the partition and forming an upper wall of the feed-chute.

WILLIAM H. BANCK.

